"Japanese star third baseman Munetaka Murakami is entering the posting system Friday, officially starting the process of one of the most anticipated free agencies of the winter, sources told ESPN. Murakami, 25, owns the single-season home run record for a Japanese player in Nippon Professional Baseball, having hit 56 in 2022 to break Sadaharu Oh's record 55, which was set in 1964. A prolific power hitter, Murakami leaves the Tokyo Yakult Swallows with 246 home runs over his eight seasons in Japan."
"His slugging prowess is expected to draw widespread interest among Major League Baseball teams this winter. Murakami's 45-day window to sign will start at 8 a.m. Saturday, sources said, ensuring he will sign with a big league team before it expires at 5 p.m. on Dec. 22. Murakami, who also can play first base, is one of the jewels of a deep class of players expected to come from Asia this winter."
Munetaka Murakami, 25, is entering the MLB posting system, beginning a 45-day window that opens at 8 a.m. Saturday and expires at 5 p.m. on Dec. 22. Murakami set the NPB single-season home run record with 56 homers in 2022 and accumulated 246 home runs over eight seasons with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. A left-handed hitter who can also play first base, he hit 22 home runs in 56 games this year despite an oblique injury, producing a .273/.379/.663 slash line. Teams may be cautious about his strikeout propensity and in-zone swing-and-miss rate, but his age and upside make him a highly sought prospect. He is part of a deep class of Asian players expected to be available this winter, including Tatsuya Imai, Kazuma Okamoto and Kona Takahashi.
Read at ESPN.com
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